Thank you so so so so much to my amazing beta, Krysyuy!

Wang So

He knelt beside her as she prayed before the stone shrines. The blue sky was a nice change and birds twittered around them, signalling the end of the day.

Jung had already left, and Yoon and Mi were both playing inside. That allowed Soo and So a moment of peace.

So smiled and pressed his hands to his knees as he watched Soo's eyes slowly blink as she murmured words beneath her breath.

"Please let Mi be strong and help her to realize that she can be loud and cranky and that she doesn't have to be afraid," he heard her say. So gazed at the woman he served, wondering how the universe had brought him into contact with someone as kind and loving as her.

"And please help So's little brother." So raised his eyebrows at the faint whisper that passed by Soo's lips. "Let that child also be happy and healthy so that his big brother can have some peace of mind. Help that child grow kind and strong just like his brother."

Soo lowered her hands and So felt his lips part in surprise. His heart panged and he gazed at the woman who perpetually surprised him. "I think it's time to go back inside," she remarked, shivering a little to make her point.

She dusted her pants off and So stood before holding his hand out to help her. She took his offer and So pulled his partner up, still surprised at her request of the gods.

"Hae Soo…"

"Don't," she said. So watched her turn to glance at him, her fleeting smile one of endless kindness. "If you care for my family, then it's only right that I care for yours in any way that I can."

So's mouth shut and he bowed his head, trying to mask the surge of protectiveness he felt for Soo. He walked behind her as she led the way back to the house, her pants swishing behind her slim legs and her hips gently swaying with each dance-like step. Her hum carried through the wind and So tipped his head, forcing his smile down as he entered the house.

"Chae Ryung, have the entire bed remade with new sheets and pillowcases in my bedroom," Soo said to her assistant as the woman set slippers before Soo's feet. "I'd also like a bottle of wine brought to my office. Something red… maybe from the eighties? Do we have any vintages?"

"I'll check with the chef," Chae Ryung replied, immediately motioning for a maid to follow Soo's orders. So trailed behind the lady of the house and nodded to Chae Ryung as she set Soo's shoes away.

He returned to his bedroom as Soo went about her activities. While she kissed her children goodnight, So ran through security expenses and prepared the receipts he had collected. The little slips of paper were clipped together and they would later be handed over to Chae Ryung, who would pass them to Soo's accountant.

So knew he would leave his bedroom sometime at night to meet Soo and kiss her goodnight. He had made a little habit of finding her in the living room or sitting room once the entire house had gone to sleep. They would sit together and he would kiss her before leaving to go to bed.

Dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, So glanced at the digital clock on his desk and raised an eyebrow when Chae Ryung knocked on his door, asking if he was available. "Hey, I have the receipts," he called.

Snatching the deck of papers off of his desk, So opened his bedroom door and handed it over to her. Chae Ryung smiled and thanked him. "Oh, and Soo wants to see you in the master bedroom. Says she wants to discuss installing a security camera looking into the balcony."

What? That's a terrible idea. Why do you want to show the security team your entire balcony? So frowned but nodded. He watched Chae Ryung yawn and stretch her arms out.

"Man, it must suck being called at all hours because the boss has a random question. Well, I'm going to turn all of the lights off, so try not to wake anyone when you get back, alright?"

So remained quiet as the governess walked away, flipping through the receipts he had just passed over to her.

He walked through the dark house, taking a quick detour upstairs to make sure the girls' bedroom doors were closed. So slipped back downstairs after reassuring himself that they were fine and made for the master bedroom.

When he arrived at the closed door, he paused and glanced down at his t-shirt and sweatpants, wondering if he should have changed. He smiled at the thought of seeing Soo again and took a deep breath to calm himself before remembering why she had called him. He knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in."

So began to speak as soon as he entered the bedroom, shutting the door behind him. "Soo, I don't know why you want a camera looking into the balcony, but that's not a-"

He stopped mid-sentence when she stepped out of her closet.

She wore lingerie. Something silky and green fluttered around her breasts and midriff, covering everything important and baring her legs and arms. Her hair was loose around her cheeks and she wore nothing else- not even her wedding ring.

Soo approached him with gliding footsteps and So felt her arms wrap around his neck, pulling him close to her. Immediately his hands met her hips, grasping the flimsy material that looked so good on her body. He could feel the heat of her body seeping through the layers of their clothing, warming his front.

"Your mouth is open," Soo teased with a small giggle. So grimaced when her fingertips brushed against his bottom lip. He clacked his teeth at her as her touch fled his face.

So pulled Soo flush against his chest in the manner he preferred, wanting to feel her heart thrumming against his skin. He could not imagine a more beautiful sight than the woman before him, her radiant smile for no one but him. "You look amazing, Soo," he said, kissing the tip of her nose.

He smiled when she laughed, her lips pressing onto his. So accepted her kiss before realizing how her body and actions had been affecting his. His pants strained and he wanted to touch and hold her more than anything in the world. At that moment, all he saw was her.

"Soo," he murmured, pulling his lips away. So closed his eyes and tried to forget the beauty in his arms. "Soo, if we continue, I don't know how I'll be able to control myself."

He breathed deeply and kept his eyes firmly shut even as Soo kissed his chin. Her soft lips remained close to his jaw and So felt her resting her head against his shoulder. Her hair brushed against his neck and he inhaled the honey tones of her shampoo. His heart raced.

"I had the bedsheets changed," said Soo, "so that you and I could spend the night together." Her hands met his chest and So breathed deeply before opening his eyes to the sight of Soo's. Her wide eyes smiled at him and he blinked slowly.

She wanted to be with him.

"You went all out, didn't you?" He chuckled, touching the flimsy silk that draped over Soo's breasts. "The lingerie, the bed… calling me up here for some bogus camera…"

So wrinkled his nose when Soo shook her head from side to side, grinning from ear to ear. "Bad Hae Soo… making me worry about if I had to explain why cameras looking into houses is a very bad thing."

"Well maybe I should make it up to you," she replied cheekily. So looked down at his partner and nodded, accepting her proposition. He stood by, amused as she pursed her lips into a smirk. "What do you want, baby?"

Chuckling at the pet name, So released his grasp on Soo before stepping back and gazing at her in her full perfection. He could ask for anything. Anything in the world.

"Twirl for me," he said.

Soo blinked but complied, lifting her arms. So watched as she began to spin, her hair fluttering and her little dress flying to reveal a matching pair of panties. She spun and spun, letting him see every aspect of her body from every perspective. Shiny silk moved like water against her skin and her legs moved with grace… until she began to get dizzy.

So could see her footsteps growing erratic, each one a bit less sure than the last. Moving forward, he opened his arms and caught his twirling partner as she laughed, holding her from behind and nuzzling his cheek against hers. "Why are you so beautiful?" he groaned, burying his face against the crook of her neck. Soo only chuckled, her hand reaching back to hold his neck. "I can't believe you're mine. I must have saved a nation in my past life."

He felt Soo turn and So closed his eyes as she kissed him.

Opening his mouth, he ran his tongue over her bottom lip and hugged her close. They held each other in an embrace and So focused on nothing but that moment. The moment when Soo's hands held him close and her mouth was against his.

"I'm ready," she whispered. "I want to have sex with you, if you'll have me." So gazed into her wide eyes.

This time, there was no desperation. No need for self-empowerment or petty revenge. This time, her dark, whiskey colored eyes were shining with a want for him- just him. They sparkled with happiness and shone with desire.

And So agreed.

He removed his shirt and tossed it aside, taking Soo's hand as she guided him to the immaculate bed. She led and he followed, sitting when directed and holding the backs of Soo's thighs when she straddled him.

He looked up at the woman that sat on him, her playful smile one that he wished to admire forever. "Cutie," So whispered against the lips that pressed onto his.

Soo swayed her hips against his clothed groin, and his hands grasped her thighs, trailing up and down her smooth legs as their mouths met in an embrace. Each touch was nothing new, but So could not help but feel as if this was their first time.

Soo sat on his lap and So paused to look at her, tracing her swollen lips with his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, leisurely letting his thoughts fade and his emotions run free.

So held Soo against his chest and continued to press his lips to her skin, wanting to cover her entire body with kisses. "That tickles," she whispered. So only nuzzled closer. He breathed in the scent of her, noting the rose and honey he had come to always attribute to her.

He felt the shiver that coursed throughout Soo's body and heard her whimper when he gently bit the curve of her ear. His body reacted to her movements and he huffed as her nails made themselves known against his skin.

So loved the pink flush that bloomed against her cheeks after he had bitten her, running his fingers over the roses that appeared on her skin. "Take the lead, Soo," he murmured to her. So kissed Soo's shoulder and sat back as her hands pressed against his chest. She pushed him down and So laid across the bed, gazing up at the beauty that straddled him.

Soo leaned forward and So placed his hands against her thighs, breathing deeply as her lips met his throat. Her hands brushed against his chest, and his groin ached with want as she kissed his nipples and let her tongue swirl over each tip. "Hae Soo," he breathed, lifting a hand from her leg to press flat against her stomach. He reached to cup one of her breasts through the silk of her lingerie, kneading the soft flesh as she continued to kiss his torso.

So gazed at Soo as her teeth gently tugged at the skin of his navel before moving to the bulge in his sweatpants. Her lips pressed to his clothed erection and So sat up, supporting himself against his elbows as Soo glanced up at him.

He watched as she pulled at the elastic waistband of his pants, taking his underwear along the way. So's nails gripped the bedsheets when Soo bared him.

A sudden chill fell over him and So swallowed as he realized he had never shown himself to Soo after the day she had comforted him. His hands trembled in trepidation and suddenly, his scars felt too bright. Compared to her smooth skin, his was battered and ugly.

So glanced down at his body and wished he could erase the marks that littered it, marring and tarnishing what little beauty there had been in the first place. Hae Soo did not need to see something as ugly as him.

He gulped in apprehension and So met eyes with Soo. She raised her eyebrows as he glanced away, breaking their gaze.

"You have a beautiful body," Soo murmured. So closed his eyes when she kissed a mark on the inside of his thigh.

"I'm scarred. I doubt there's anything beautiful about me," he replied softly. "Soo, please don't force yourself to-"

So flinched when Soo immediately rushed forward, her chest meeting his and her palms pressing to either side of his face. He stared into her wide eyes as they betrayed every emotion. "Enough," she whispered. So wished she would not look so sad. He blamed himself for the hazy pain behind her eyes- the look that told him that she felt too much but had too few words.

Her forehead rested against his and So blinked rapidly, trying to contain himself. He could feel her fingertips brushing against his hair, her warm breath so close to his cheek. "Enough, So. You are the most beautiful being I have ever met. There is nothing ugly about you." Her soft words resonated within his mind, echoing across other thoughts and shooting them down. There was no room for doubt or self-hatred; there was only her. "I don't have to force myself to do anything because I truly want to do this with you. I want you."

When Soo returned to her position between his thighs, So tipped his head back and moaned as she took him in her mouth.

He leaned upward and rested himself against one elbow while reaching his other arm out to push Soo's hair out of the way. So hissed when she stroked him and licked a line up his length, her eyes glinting with mischief.

So tipped his chin to the side, watching as Soo's head bobbed between his thighs, her tongue working its magic on him and extracting another sigh from his lips. "Hae Soo," he murmured. Her hummed reply made him close his eyes.

Each lick, suck, and stroke pulled him that much closer and when he could feel himself drawing near, he placed two fingers beneath Soo's chin and guided her up and away from him. "I'll cum if you keep going," he said.

Soo pulled back from him and So hazily blinked at her as she kissed his knee and slowly made her way up his body.

When Soo's lips hovered above his, So chuckled and draped an arm around her waist. They gazed at each other for a moment. So blinked up at the woman that straddled him.

Then, he rushed forward and shifted his shoulders and hips, flipping Hae Soo onto her back and pressing himself against her chest as she muffled her shriek. "You scared me!" She giggled as So kissed her forehead and eyes.

"Good," he said, dotting kisses against her cheeks. "You could use a bit of surprise in your life. Spice things up." He leaned between her open legs, keeping himself somewhat upright with the strength of his hands.

So kissed the woman beneath him with an effortless fervor. The happiness he felt when he was with her was incomparable to any high he had ever received. She was his drug and his antidote. She was the perfection that lit up his day.

"Maybe you're all the spice I need," Soo remarked. So scoffed at her pun before shaking his head.

He felt Soo reaching to stroke his member and So closed his eyes before sucking on the skin of her throat- hard enough to elicit a moan, but light enough that no trace of his presence would remain. "Take this off," he murmured against her skin, touching the tiny dress that prevented him access to her body.

So pressed his lips to the peak of Soo's left breast, gently grazing his teeth over the silk covered nipple. He smiled when Soo wriggled within his grasp, her mouth opening in muted pleasure. "Hae Soo," So growled, trying but failing to sound daunting, "before I tear it off."

So chuckled as Soo pouted. "I like this set. Don't you dare rip it."

"Don't make me."

The green silk fluttered away and So stared at Soo's matching panties, raising an eyebrow at the other layer that prevented him from seeing her in her naked beauty. "All of it," he said with a pointed look to her.

So reached for the seam of her panties but narrowed his eyes when Soo slapped his hand away with a giggle. He felt her arms wrap around him and her lips on his cheek as he groaned into her shoulder. "You're torturing me." He inhaled the scent of her soft skin and So flattened a hand against her chest, tracing the outline of her breasts and squeezing one of them.

"No touchy," he heard her say with a laugh. So swore against her collar as his erection ground against her underwear. "But you can use your teeth," she whispered.

Leaning up, So glared down at Soo as she beamed beneath him. He could not maintain his false stare for long and So quickly found himself gazing down at his woman with the same expression she gifted him. "Teeth? You tease." He pressed a wet kiss to the place between her breasts, his tongue swirling against her smooth skin.

Letting his lips and nose glide down her navel, So stopped at the seam of the panties he had just tried to remove with his hands.

Glancing up at Soo, So watched as she laid against the pillows, her gaze on him.

Instead of obliging to her request, So kissed her through her panties, licking the wetness that stained the dark silk. His front teeth slid down her clit and So pressed his hand against Soo's thigh to keep her from squirming.

"Take them… ah- take them off," she whined. So only kissed her again, devoting his attention to pleasuring her through the barrier they both wanted gone. He wanted her writhing before he continued.

"Should have just let me take them off with my hands, darling," he said with a tsk, flicking his tongue up her panties. The resulting moan made his cock jump. So hummed against Soo's skin as her hand carded through his hair, ruffling and lightly tugging.

She arched her back and So lifted himself just enough to nibble on the skin of her hip. He then clamped down onto the silk and began dragging it downward.

The final layer fell to the floor and Soo laid before him, equally bare and equally ready. So knelt between her spread legs, tapping the tips of his fingers in a pattern over her thighs. "What did I do in a past life to receive someone as beautiful as you in this one?" he murmured.

Leaning forward, So adjusted his legs into a more comfortable position before nudging his nose against the dark hair of Soo's sex. He kissed Soo's entrance before darting his tongue forward and licking her peak.

Finally able to give her the pleasure they both wanted, So did not hold back in bringing Soo to her first orgasm.

Her knees opened wider and So ran his hand over her smooth thigh as she arched her back and panted, whining and moaning. Her cheeks flushed pink and she pressed a hand to her mouth to quiet herself.

So watched with rapt attention as she came. He smiled at her pleasure and stroked himself as her breathing slowed.

"Do you have a condom?" So asked as he laid his head against Soo's breasts. Her chest heaved and he kissed one of her newly sensitive nipples, watching her flinch.

"I'm… I'm on birth control," she said. "Are you tested?"

"I don't have anything, Hae Soo."

"Neither do I."

They kissed and So leaned back.

"Then do you want to turn around?" he asked, giving her space to do the act he hated.

He smiled reluctantly, willing to allow her to turn away from him during intimacy if it meant she would be his. So stared at Soo, drinking in the sight of her supine position, legs open and breasts rising and falling with erratic breaths. She tipped her head to the side and So nodded. "It's alright, Hae Soo. I don't mind. Whatever you need to do." He let his hand linger against the skin of her thigh.

"But I want to look at you," she said instantly. Soo's hand took his and So leaned as she placed his palm against her cheek, his thumb brushing against her nose. "I want to look at your beautiful face as you fuck me," she murmured.

At Soo's sudden use of profanity, So flushed red- something uncharacteristic of himself. He blushed further when she kissed his palm.

So smiled, positioning himself between Soo's legs. "Oh, baby," he sighed, relief washing over him. His heart fluttered at the very thought of being able to see every reaction Soo gave to him. Kissing his partner, So rested his forehead against hers and kept his eyes open, pressing his lips to her disheveled hair.

When he slid into her, So moaned her name. "Soo," he groaned, blinded with pleasure.

They were connected with no barriers between them and So kissed her as her arms wrapped around him, her ankles locking behind his hips.

"So," Soo called his name as he thrust into her, their eyes never leaving each other.

Each movement brought them closer and each whispered name was a promise. So moaned Soo's name as if it were a prayer- one that vitalized him and sent him over the edge. He gazed down at his woman, unwilling to take his eyes off of her lovely face.

She moved to the pace he set for them and So kissed the woman beneath him, wanting to be closer to her. He leaned over her, sucking on the skin of the throat and collarbone. He played with the tops of her breasts, swirling his fingertips over her nipples and smirking whenever Soo moaned.

So grunted as he switched positions so that Soo was on top of him. Reaching upward, he squeezed her breasts as she straddled him, her hips rolling against his. So looked up at her naked body as her hands pressed to his chest.

The sheets wrinkled and the bed quaked from their movements.

Soo's gasps grew louder and she leaned her chest against his, kissing him as she continued to ride him. So held her hips with his hands, thrusting into her and matching her pace. When Soo kissed him, he held the back of her neck with one hand, his tongue endeavoring to taste her as they fucked.

Soo mewled against his lips as she came a second time. "So-oh!" she called his name, her nails scraping against his ribs. Soo's head fell against his shoulder and So slowed his pace, gently thrusting into her as she panted and moaned, her body shivering.

Once she caught her breath, Soo nodded and So quickened his hips and pushed deep into her until he also felt himself coming close. "Hae Soo," he groaned, looking to her for guidance. So knew she would not want him to release inside of her. "I'm close."

"I'll finish you with my mouth," she said. He pulled out from her and watched as she pushed herself away from him so that she was between his legs once more.

Without preamble, Soo opened her mouth and So bucked his hips as she sucked on his member. Her long lashes fluttered and So felt himself giving way as she stroked him, her free hand running up his abdomen.

"Soo," he called her name, releasing into her mouth. So grunted as he came, arching forward and grasping Soo's hand as his body shivered from climax. "Ah, Hae Soo," he gritted through his teeth.

He huffed and moaned as the last of his release fell into Soo's mouth and So leaned back, his chest rising and falling with erratic breaths. He took a few seconds to breathe through his pleasure before looking back to Soo.

Sitting up, So brushed his fingers through Soo's hair and sifted the fine strands aside as she cleaned his length off. Panting, he watched his partner wipe her lips on the back of her hand. Her throat moved as she swallowed and So stared, starstruck.

"You... swallowed." Soo tipped her head as if his words did not make sense. "Hae Soo, you didn't have-"

"Stop telling what I do or don't have to do." She smiled and So accepted her embrace as she moved to sit on his lap. Her arms wrapped around his shoulders and she looked down at him from her elevated position, her ruffled hair layering over flushed cheeks. "You quit smoking, didn't you?" she asked.

So coughed and glanced away as his cheeks burned. He smirked when Soo kissed his ear. "It tastes much better than when you used to smoke," she said.

They cleaned themselves off and after Soo returned from her trip to the bathroom, So laid with her beneath the covers of the bed. They shared a pillow and he gazed at her face as her toes wiggled against his legs.

He enjoyed their post-sex moments, when there was little to do but gaze at the beauty in his arms and quietly speak with her. He stared at the palm of her hand as she brushed his fringe away from his eyes, enjoying the lack of jewelry on her body.

"Feels like the first time," she murmured. So blinked slowly as he gazed at his partner. Her hands touched his chest, tracing over the silvery marks on his collarbones. "It feels like… like I've never seen your body before… never felt you inside me… until today."

So moved his hand against her hip and gently dragged her closer until her soft stomach met his. He gazed into her eyes and passed his fingertips over her black hair. "You finally looked at me," he whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of her lips. "Maybe that's why."

He met Soo's mouth with his and kissed her slowly, savoring the slow moments when their hearts beat as one. He could taste the remnants of himself against her tongue; no doubt she could taste herself against his.

Their kiss broke when Soo yawned. Chuckling, So held the back of her head when she nuzzled against his chest. Her lips met his Adam's apple and she yawned again. "Sleep, Soo," So murmured.

"Only if you do first."

Pausing, So shook his head when Soo kissed his chin. He touched her cheek as her lovely eyes blinked at him. He wanted to stay, but he did not want to put Soo at risk. He felt her hands against his chest, her fingertips playing piano against his skin. "Stay, please," she said. "For me."

Sighing, So nodded. "I'll stay," he promised. For you. "But you should sleep."

"So should you," Soo retorted. She wrinkled her nose at him and So wondered if she could be any more adorable. "Goodnight, darling."

They kissed again and So tipped his head against the pillow, laying on his back and feeling Soo's warm body curl against his. Her hand pressed to his chest and her legs tangled with his. He took one last glance at the closed eyes of the woman beside him, her soft lips rising into a faint smile. "Goodnight, sweet," he murmured.

Closing his eyes, So turned his head to one side, his temple meeting Soo's forehead. It did not take much for him to imagine sharing thoughts with her. To not have to speak and just… understand.

Breaking every rule he knew about maintaining secrecy, So let himself relax. He breathed deeply and held his woman close, keeping his promise. He would just have to wake a bit earlier in the morning- nothing he could not handle.

Sleep came easily and So could not imagine a more comfortable rest than the night he spent with the woman he loved.

omg he loves her wtf